Catastrophic failure!

[KingsX]

The pic is kind of hard to tell, due to my counter's pattern design, but you can see...I have on my hands the bottom of a glass carboy, no longer attached to the carboy.

Someone above cared about me though - this carboy was cold crashing in my keezer. Sometimes, when I get a head of myself, I have to use my keezer doubling as a fridge when my main cold crashing fridge is jammed full. This is a GOOD thing in this case!

I went to lift this carboy out of the keezer, heard some crunching and cracking, and the bottom completely came off the carboy. I lost all 23 litres of amazing beer, into my keezer. Which kept it all, I had to use a pail to bail the beer out.

If this had occurred after I got the carboy out, while it was on my counter, or while carrying it from A to B..the mess this would have made, might have tested my abilities...lol

 

[azdavid]

This is exactly why I do not use glass.

 

[KingsX]

It's funny you mention that. I have (had) only 2 glass carboys. And, I do like glass, for it's pros (hate the cons) but I inherited them...so anyway, THIS VERY DAY, I went and bought a new glass one...and then this.

So, I'm back to only 2 glass. I'm rethinking all of this now. lol

 

[passedpawn]

I used to bear-hug those suckers through my house to the garage. I shudder to think what would have happened to my arms if one came apart like that when I was carrying it.

I switched to plastic a long time ago (I did break a glass one, no blood ).

 

[KingsX]

My brother in law, who has a still, suggested I collect and we distill the beer (because it would have glass particles, and nastiest from inside the keezer). But I hadn't thought of that in time...and it was too late. The beer was already gone down the drain.

Some day I will rejoin my beer brothers in Valhalla!

 

[slym2none]

Good thing you didn't get hurt!

 

[govner1]

Better Bottles, Better Bottles,...

 

[rhys333]

Be thankful you came away unscathed. I refuse to use glass for this reason. The large 30L plastic fermentors we can get here in Canada are my choice and I've yet to find a downside to them.

Excellent for open-style fermentation and yeast harvesting btw.

 

[KingsX]

Be thankful you came away unscathed. I refuse to use glass for this reason. The large 30L plastic fermentors we can get here in Canada are my choice and I've yet to find a downside to them.

Excellent for open-style fermentation and yeast harvesting btw.

Where do you get the 30L plastic bottles? My plastic carboys don't hold as much as my glass, and when I transfer them, I often lose some.

 

[KingsX]

Better Bottles, Better Bottles,...

I have two glass (did have 3, lol) but the rest are Better Bottles. But I find they don't hold as much?

 

[KingsX]

Good thing you didn't get hurt!

So you and others have said this...and at the time, I hadn't even considered my own safety. As the bottom dropped off while it was still in my keezer. And my thoughts of it happening OUTSIDE the keezer made me imagine the mess.

But you're all right...could have been worse, way worse!

 

[passedpawn]

So you and others have said this...and at the time, I hadn't even considered my own safety. As the bottom dropped off while it was still in my keezer. And my thoughts of it happening OUTSIDE the keezer made me imagine the mess.

But you're all right...could have been worse, way worse!

Well.... yea, you should consider your own safety. Broken Glass Carboy Horror Stories Compendium

 

[kh54s10]

I started with Better Bottles thinking of mostly the weight. I then read the Broken Carboy Horror Compendium thread. I have not regretted having never used glass, not even for a minute.

 

[rhys333]

Where do you get the 30L plastic bottles? My plastic carboys don't hold as much as my glass, and when I transfer them, I often lose some.

I get mine at the LHBS in Edmonton, but here's a link showing the product:
http://www.clickabrew.com/shopexd.asp?id=616

 

[Clef051]

i just bought a fermonster bottle. I really like it, it has a big screw top so that i can reach in to clean it. I do still have a bunch of glass that a friend gave me I mainly use that for stuff I don't move a lot. I'm thinking of getting rid of that though and moving to just plastic. I usually use buckets for most things

 

[KingsX]

I get mine at the LHBS in Edmonton, but here's a link showing the product:
http://www.clickabrew.com/shopexd.asp?id=616

Oh wow...I've not seen those in Winnipeg (where I am). I will have to look online. Thanks for the tip!

 

[KingsX]

i just bought a fermonster bottle. I really like it, it has a big screw top so that i can reach in to clean it. I do still have a bunch of glass that a friend gave me I mainly use that for stuff I don't move a lot. I'm thinking of getting rid of that though and moving to just plastic. I usually use buckets for most things

Yes, I've been thinking the fermonsters as well...darn, wish I hadn't JUST spent $30 on a new glass carboy!

 

[KingsX]

Well.... yea, you should consider your own safety. Broken Glass Carboy Horror Stories Compendium

Oh

MY

GOD!!!

I'm getting rid of glass...this seals it.

 

[IslandLizard]

I'm sorry for your loss of beer and the carboy, but you're so lucky to come out unscathed!
Looking at the picture, it's scary to see how thin those walls are in certain areas.

I only use glass carboys for long term aging of sours as I have not found a suitable alternative. At least they don't get handled very often, and when I do, I always keep the risks in mind, wear protective clothing and am just very careful.

Plastic buckets work fine for primary fermentors, and the use of secondaries is rare (I use kegs for those). Many people use Speidel fermentors, which are a really good alternative.

 

[Incubus2112]

Just want to comment that I, too, have joined this club. Broke a nearly dead on similar 5 gallon glass carboy this weekend preparing to fill it up with wort to ferment over the weekend.

Suffice it to say, I had to sanitize my plastic paint bucket in a hurry after I set the glass carboy down too hard after having filled it with hot water out of my copper tube wort chiller :|

 

[Yesfan]

Fermonster FTW!

 

[Incubus2112]

I went glass... and bigger lol
But this time with STRAPS!

 

[Tommyjj]

KingsX wine sense sells those here in Winnipeg.

 

[shortyz]

reminds me of the time i poured myself a cup of coffee and the bottom of the cup decided to stay on the counter. bit of a mess but if that happened with 23l of beer that would be horrible.

 

[Calder]

I really like my glass fermenter, but it is a bit impractical. Heavy weight to be carrying from kitchen to basement with 5 gallons of wort.

I pretty much just use it for Brett secondaries now. It lives under the counter whether full or empty, and is just raised to the counter when I need to siphon from it. Doesn't get moved too much.

Due to stories I have heard about, and just common sense, 90% of my brewing is plastic.

 

[friarsmith]

Glad you didn't get hurt. I broke a glass carboy several years ago on my porch (phew) but it was still a mess.

Find a milk crate, put an old towel, small pillow, or old patio cushion in it, then set the carboy down inside for easy/safe carrying.

OR, these work great. I have a 7.9 gallon and 11 gallon can. Been using for years. Seamless, stainless steel inside with a removable silicone gasket under the lid. Just drill a 1/2" hole for a small stopper & blowoff. They have some smaller sizes but appear to be sold out at the moment.

http://www.hambydairysupply.com/xcart/product.php?productid=1945&cat=425&page=1

 

[jrgtr42]

I have a few glass carboys - though I only use them for long-term bulk aging.
I do keep them in milk crates, tied down so they won't shift around too much.
The hardest time is when cleaning them out after use. I generally set them down into my (plastic) slop sink, rinse out the loose stuff, trub and so forth. I then do a light scrub with the carboy brush. Again, rinse. Any heavy stuff I PBW out, When that is done, I'll siphon the majority out, then dump the rest. Rinse well with most of the weight on the side of the sink.
For most fermentations, I just use brew buckets / ale pails. Never had an issue with any of them.
I do have a couple plastic carboys (better bottles) I've used a couple times. Similar procedure to the glass ones.

 

[jrgtr42]

Glad you didn't get hurt. I broke a glass carboy several years ago on my porch (phew) but it was still a mess.

Find a milk crate, put an old towel, small pillow, or old patio cushion in it, then set the carboy down inside for easy/safe carrying.

OR, these work great. I have a 7.9 gallon and 11 gallon can. Been using for years. Seamless, stainless steel inside with a removable silicone gasket under the lid. Just drill a 1/2" hole for a small stopper & blowoff.

http://www.hambydairysupply.com/xcart/product.php?productid=1945&cat=425&page=1

I do like that idea - you say to drill a hole for airlock, I wonder if someone makes a spare lid for it with a hole already in.
Actually, going to the main page for the transfer cans and jars, there is a transport cart that looks real intriguing. I wonder how that would fit a carboy - though you would need to pad the metal of that cart to work with glass.

 

[friarsmith]

I do like that idea - you say to drill a hole for airlock, I wonder if someone makes a spare lid for it with a hole already in.

Not sure. I just put a scrap 2x4 on the floor of my garage (to catch the bit when it went through), held the lid down with my foot, and drilled it with a 1/2" cobalt bit. A little cutting oil helped, as I recall. Easy... I don't recall the drilled rubber stopper number/size, but the handful I have are about 1/2" at the narrow end and hold an airlock or barbed elbow for a blowoff tube.

The 7.9g is great for 5-6 gallon batches. I only need a blowoff for hefeweizens.

 

[Yesfan]

Glad you didn't get hurt. I broke a glass carboy several years ago on my porch (phew) but it was still a mess.

Find a milk crate, put an old towel, small pillow, or old patio cushion in it, then set the carboy down inside for easy/safe carrying.

OR, these work great. I have a 7.9 gallon and 11 gallon can. Been using for years. Seamless, stainless steel inside with a removable silicone gasket under the lid. Just drill a 1/2" hole for a small stopper & blowoff. They have some smaller sizes but appear to be sold out at the moment.

http://www.hambydairysupply.com/xcart/product.php?productid=1945&cat=425&page=1

I know they're mainly for dairy, but would the gasket be strong enough to do pressurized transfers? It would be nice if they could hold enough pressure to keg/serve beer from. That large mouth would make cleaning a lot easier than cornies (not that those are hard to clean).

 

[friarsmith]

The gasket holds a good seal even during the most raging fermentations (based on airlock activity anyway). You would need to drill two holes: one for the C02 inlet and one for a racking cane w/ its drilled stopper. During fermentation then, use one of the holes for an airlock/blowoff and plug the other w/ a stopper. I have not done this, but I have no doubt it would work.

Or pick up a double-drilled stopper and drill one big hole. Whatever

When I use this fermenter, to transfer I just remove the lid, cover it immediately w/ sanitized foil, and poke an autosiphon through the foil which drains into the liquid-out post. Never, ever had oxidation issues, even with kegs of beer and cider that have been stored at cellar temps for 12+ months.

The inside of this dairy can is seamless (a different piece of steel than the outside shell). It cleans up really well. I've conservatively used my 7 and 11 gal can 60 times each in the last 8-9 years. Love 'em

 

[Calder]

I just put a scrap 2x4 on the floor of my garage (to catch the bit when it went through), held the lid down with my foot, and drilled it with a 1/2" cobalt bit. A little cutting oil helped, as I recall. Easy... I don't recall the drilled rubber stopper number/size, but the handful I have are about 1/2" at the narrow end and hold an airlock or barbed elbow for a blowoff tube.

The rubber grommets they use in bucket lids fit perfectly in a1/2 inch hole. Then you can just nsert the airlock.

 

[Owly055]

My brother in law, who has a still, suggested I collect and we distill the beer (because it would have glass particles, and nastiest from inside the keezer). But I hadn't thought of that in time...and it was too late. The beer was already gone down the drain.

Some day I will rejoin my beer brothers in Valhalla!

My former neighbor and I distilled about 50 gallons of beer in a still I helped him build a few years back.......The product was quite interesting...... I always wanted to set up a botanicals basket, and distill through leaf hops...... We never got that far.

Unfortunately I haven't found a way to smuggle it in to him during visiting day ;-( I've stashed it away for the day he gets out............ A "stand up guy".... He never implicated me, though I built most of his still......... ;-)

H.W.

 

[seatazzz]

I have three 6.5 gallon plastic bucket fermenters and one 7.5 gallon carboy. I only use the carboy for beers that are a little high on volume and don't need dry hopping. I keep it in a big sturdy Rubbermaid tub and have help when it needs lifting. Damn thing scares me but it's irresistible to watch the yeast do their thing. I've looked at the Better Bottles but they're out of my budget for the time being. Someday, though....